Hopkins snubs Green for Jones

World champion Danny Green's proposed multi-million dollar fight against Bernard Hopkins is off after the man known as the Executioner signed to take on Roy Jones Jr in Las Vegas in April.

Green, who stopped Jones just 122 seconds into their December 2 fight for the International Boxing Organisation cruiserweight title in Sydney, held discussions with Hopkins' representatives and appeared close to luring the former world middleweight champion to Australia.

The Green camp is understood to have offered a minimum of $3 million for Hopkins to fight in Australia, 15 times more than the $200,000 he is said to have earned for his last fight - a 12-round win over Enrique Ornelas last month.

Green, who returned from a family holiday yesterday, was not prepared to comment about Hopkins' decision when contacted by _The West Australian _.

He could turn his attention to former International Boxing Federation light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, who has twice beaten Jones but lost to Hopkins in 2006.

But missing out on Hopkins is a blow to Green, who was determined to take the scalp of another legend following his obliteration of Jones.

Green was considered by Jones to be a tune-up for a planned fight against Hopkins, who turns 45 today. But his stunning victory appeared to have consigned to the scrapheap moves to set up a Hopkins-Jones rematch.

Jones' camp remained committed to the fight and Hopkins will now get an opportunity to avenge his 1993 points loss, probably on April 17 at Mandalay Bay.

Green travelled to the United States last month and held discussions with Hopkins' promoter, Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer. He also spoke to Hopkins by phone and was confident the fight would eventuate.

But Schaefer said discussions regarding Jones-Hopkins had continued.

"I think there is so much at stake for these guys," Schaefer said of Jones and Hopkins. "This is an event they have been waiting for, for 17 years. They would not let anything get in the way of getting this fight finally done.

"I believe very strongly that at this point in their careers, after everything they have accomplished, I think this is a well-deserved fight for these two guys to finally get it on April 17."

After graciously accepting defeat to Green, Jones later claimed his opponent had used illegal hand-wrapping in the fight.

Square Ring, Jones' promotional company, wrote to the New South Wales Combat Sports Authority and the IBO to have the result overturned.